40:, as well as the process by which that right may be exercised. In general, OPRA provides that "government records shall be readily accessible for inspection, copying, or examination by the citizens of this State, with certain exceptions, for the protection of the public interest." OPRA may be viewed as New Jersey's equivalent to the United States federal
149:
GRC “work in progress”. One woman's official open records complaint took more than two years to resolve. What was supposed to be a more efficient means of challenging denied requests is characterized as an even more onerous system; one open records advocate described the situation as "justice delayed… justice denied".
148:
Although the
Government Records Council is charged with settling OPRA release disputes, the underfunded and understaffed agency has a backlog of requests dating to 2014. In late March 2018, an estimated 10% remained outstanding, including some assigned to other government entities, but 347 flagged as
73:
The request for a record is sent to the wrong person. However, that person who receives the request must either redirect the request to the appropriate person or advise the requestor regarding who is the appropriate
164:, was blocked by Christie's lawyer. Concerned open records advocates challenged Christie's action as contrary to the purpose of OPRA, which designates the State Archives as neutral public arbiter of records.
367:
127:. While there is no deadline to submit a complaint to the GRC, a complaint submitted to Superior Court must be filed within 45 days (calendar days, not business days) after the denial of access.
64:
that is requested. For requests to the State of New Jersey, OPRA requests for most information can be submitted online. A few other public agencies in New Jersey have online OPRA portals.
179:
156:, particularly electronic records. This came to light a few months later, in May 2018, when access to records between the Christie administration and the
173:
41:
311:
285:
231:
200:"2013 New Jersey Revised Statutes :: Title 47 - PUBLIC RECORDS :: Section 47:1A-1 - Legislative findings, declarations"
145:, his office spent more than $ 1 million challenging OPRA requests, including court fees for illegally withholding information.
142:
362:
153:
124:
120:
85:
Fees for requesting information must be paid, unless you are exempt from paying the fee or the fee is unlawful.
199:
372:
154:
Christie pre-emptively restricted the State
Archives' release of his administration's public records
95:
A request for information must be responded to within 7 business days after the request is received.
57:
157:
99:
119:
If a request is denied, the person requesting the information can appeal the denial to the
130:
Information provided on a request form can be disclosed under the Open Public
Records Act.
102:
and if the record keeper cannot reach a solution with the person requesting the documents.
61:
33:
356:
255:
161:
106:
92:
will not have access to public records if the records requested relate to the victim.
89:
312:"Chris Christie blocks release of his office's emails with Jared Kushner's company"
113:
279:
277:
109:
must tell the person requesting information why the record cannot be released.
98:
A request can be denied if the request would disrupt current operations of an
37:
232:"Appealing a public records request denial in N.J.? Don't hold your breath"
286:"Chris Christie left office and took control of his old e-mails with him"
225:
223:
29:
267:
77:
The request does not state that it is being made pursuant to OPRA.
213:
214:"NJ Department of Law & Public Safety - OPRA Information"
112:
Failure of a record keeper to respond to a request within 7
345:
88:
Convicted criminals in New Jersey or anywhere else in the
67:
Public contracts are considered “immediate access” records
60:
must be completed, signed, and given to the keeper of the
368:
Freedom of information legislation in the United States
70:
A request will not be considered as under the OPRA if:
339:
32:
that provides a right to the public to access certain
123:(GRC) of the Department of Community Affairs, or to
256:http://www.state.nj.us/turnpike/documents/OPRA.pdf
160:, previously run by the president's son-in-law,
176:, approximately equivalent federal legislation
8:
180:Freedom of information in the United States
174:Freedom of Information Act (United States)
24:(P.L. 2001, c. 404), commonly abbreviated
152:In January 2018, outgoing Governor Chris
191:
116:is considered a denial of the request.
7:
80:The request is not made in writing.
52:OPRA has multiple features to it:
18:New Jersey Open Public Records Act
14:
284:Sullivan, S.P. (25 May 2018).
141:During the eight years of the
1:
310:Perez, Andrew (25 May 2018).
143:Chris Christie administration
389:
121:Government Records Council
42:Freedom of Information Act
268:"Open Public Records Act"
125:New Jersey Superior Court
363:New Jersey statutes
20:, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1
58:public information
158:Kushner Companies
380:
327:
326:
324:
322:
307:
301:
300:
298:
296:
281:
272:
271:
264:
258:
253:
247:
246:
244:
242:
230:Hernandez, Joe.
227:
218:
217:
210:
204:
203:
196:
36:in the State of
388:
387:
383:
382:
381:
379:
378:
377:
353:
352:
336:
331:
330:
320:
318:
309:
308:
304:
294:
292:
283:
282:
275:
266:
265:
261:
254:
250:
240:
238:
229:
228:
221:
212:
211:
207:
198:
197:
193:
188:
170:
139:
50:
12:
11:
5:
386:
384:
376:
375:
370:
365:
355:
354:
351:
350:
344:OPRAmachine:
342:
335:
334:External links
332:
329:
328:
302:
273:
259:
248:
219:
205:
190:
189:
187:
184:
183:
182:
177:
169:
166:
138:
135:
132:
131:
128:
117:
110:
103:
96:
93:
86:
83:
82:
81:
78:
75:
68:
65:
56:A request for
49:
46:
34:public records
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
385:
374:
371:
369:
366:
364:
361:
360:
358:
349:
348:
343:
341:
340:OPRA requests
338:
337:
333:
317:
313:
306:
303:
291:
287:
280:
278:
274:
269:
263:
260:
257:
252:
249:
237:
233:
226:
224:
220:
215:
209:
206:
201:
195:
192:
185:
181:
178:
175:
172:
171:
167:
165:
163:
162:Jared Kushner
159:
155:
150:
146:
144:
137:Controversies
136:
134:
129:
126:
122:
118:
115:
114:business days
111:
108:
107:record keeper
104:
101:
97:
94:
91:
90:United States
87:
84:
79:
76:
72:
71:
69:
66:
63:
59:
55:
54:
53:
47:
45:
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
23:
19:
346:
319:. Retrieved
316:Fast Company
315:
305:
293:. Retrieved
289:
262:
251:
239:. Retrieved
235:
208:
194:
151:
147:
140:
133:
51:
25:
21:
17:
15:
373:2001 in law
357:Categories
186:References
38:New Jersey
168:See also
74:person.
30:statute
28:, is a
22:et seq.
321:31 May
295:31 May
290:NJ.com
241:31 May
100:agency
62:record
347:Link
323:2018
297:2018
243:2018
236:WHYY
26:OPRA
16:The
48:Law
359::
314:.
288:.
276:^
234:.
222:^
105:A
44:.
325:.
299:.
270:.
245:.
216:.
202:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.